A Dog's Life
by Robert Cora Fan
Summary: The bond between man and dog...or series 2 from Isis' perspective. Mild spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

_Snapshots from each episode, described from Isis' perspective. This one is based vaguely on Episode 1 (I wrote it while watching the episode).  
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I'm a lucky dog. Not many dogs have a thousand acres to roam in. Not that I roam a thousand acres all at once, but William always take me to different places on our morning walks. My favourite is the fishing lakes. I love the smell of the fishing lakes - a delicious cocktail of water, fish, plants and mud. I especially like being in the water. William always chuckles when I try catching the big slivery fish in my paws. I can never manage to catch any. Robert tries catching fish as well, but he has a rod with a hook at the end. I try telling him when the fish are close but he says it scares them away. He can never seem to catch any fish either. After a while, he puts the fishing rod down and throws sticks for me instead. He always laughs when I leap into the water to fetch them and tells me I'm a good dog when I bring them back. I know he's proud of me.

My second favourite place is the rose garden. It's a common fallacy that dogs don't like flowers. I love the sweet smell of flowers. I like it when humans wear flowers in their hair or rub the scent on their skin. I tried digging up the flowers once to bring to Cora but she just got angry with me and told me I was a "bad dog". The next time, I decided to bring just the heads of the flowers instead. I carefully pulled the roses off their stalks and brought them in. I thought she would like it better because they were cleaner and smelt nicer. She got even angrier and called for Robert: "Look what your dog has done!" He just laughed and called me a romantic. I don't understand.

Today, William doesn't take me to the fishing lake or the rose garden. We just walk on the paths round the house. I don't mind. William is worried about the "war." I know something about the war. Robert reads me bits from his newspaper, so I know it started because an Austrian Archduke was killed in Serbia. I don't understand why that means all the men need to go to war and get killed as well. Every day, Robert reads out the "casualty list" and shakes his head sadly. So why does William want to go as well?

He tries explaining it to me. "I want to enlist, Isis. I want to fight for my country." I tell him that the country is alright here without him going to war, but I know he doesn't understand. I wish I could talk to him sometimes.

We stroll back to the big house. William has to work, so I go in search of Robert. Everything is being changed round for the "concert". There's too many people and all the furniture is in the wrong place so I don't know where I am. I spot a comfy chair and decide to rest and watch what's going on from a safe place. I climb up and try to make myself comfortable. I'm just relaxing into the chair and can feel my eyes closing...a sharp tap on my bottom wakes me up with a start. I sit up suddenly. What's wrong? Carson is standing over me looking very cross. "Down," he says sternly. I jump down and stretch out each of my legs before moving off. Now if I could just find somewhere else to curl up...but all my usual spots have been moved.

Ah! I spot Robert at last. He's smiling indulgently at me. I trot over to him. He pats my flank reassuringly and gives me a treat. He understands I am a bit lost today. "Stay with me." Don't worry, I say, I intend to. I follow him into the Library. Robert's Mama is arranging a big bunch of cut flowers. Sometimes I don't understand humans.

I trot to my cushion in the corner and pretend to sleep, keeping one ear out for the conversation. They are talking about Matthew. I like Matthew. He's kind to me, although I don't think he's really a dog person. Matthew is at war, but Matthew's mother is asking if he can come back and bring "Lavinia" with him. Robert looks at me. I know he's worried about Matthew being killed and he doesn't want to share him with this "Lavinia". I thump my tail to tell him I understand and that it will be alright. He turns round: "We can't know if Matthew will come through it. Either way, I want to see him and I want to wish him luck."

When everyone's gone, I nuzzle up to him under the desk, telling him he's made the right decision. He rubs behind my ears, knowing just the right spot and I growl happily. "I'm off to war, Isis. I got the letter from Haig this morning."

_No - not you as well!_

"What will you do while I'm gone?" Exactly - who would look after me if Robert _and _William go? Can dogs go to war, I wonder -maybe I could protect both of them and stop them getting killed? I lean into to him and close my eyes, making sure he can't move without waking me up. I tell him to stay here forever...

"Sorry, Isis." I open one eye and look up at him. "You'll need to go down to the kitchen while the concert's on." _The kitchen!_ The kitchen is my favourite place in the whole house - just the thought of it makes my mouth water. I wag my tail happily and head off downstairs.

Mrs Patmore and I have an arrangement in the kitchen. I'm not allowed to take food from the table or the oven, but anything that falls on the floor is mine. Mrs Patmore and Daisy always make sure plenty of food falls off the table for me, and I'm not fussy - I'll try anything. Sweet pancake tonight - not my favourite (I'd much prefer the beef!) but I wolf it down anyway. It's important to show Mrs Patmore her food is appreciated!

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><p><em>What do you think? Does it work or is it too sillyOTT? Should I carry on?_


	2. Chapter 2

_I'll try to write one chapter per S2 episode, so this is Episode 2...__Still feel a little silly, so any encouragement is very welcome! :-) _

"I'm not going, Isis. The army doesn't want me."

_He's not going! _I wag my tail and give an excited yelp but Robert looks sad. "I want to be useful, Isis. I miss the excitement and the camaraderie of the army - it's like being in a pack. You understand, don't you?" I think about when I used to go out with the guns and the spaniels. I was in a pack then, although I always considered myself slightly superior to the spaniels. I miss the shoot - the noise, the wind whistling in my fur and the praise I got when I brought the birds back. I think I understand how he's feeling.

William _is _going to the war. On his last day, he takes me on a long walk and talks to me about duty and honour. I don't know what he means, but I stay close to him and tell him not to get killed.

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><p>Carson is looking down at me severely, and I walk past him towards Robert. Carson doesn't like me. He always tells me off for "interrupting the smooth running of the house," but of course he never says anything to Robert.<p>

"Who will walk the dog when William's gone, milord?" He looks towards Lang.

_No, _I whimper!_ I don't want Lang to walk me! He makes me nervous._ I brushed past him once. He yelped and backed into me, grabbing my fur. I barked and showed my teeth. I shouldn't have done it, I know, but he scared me. Robert just looked angry.

Robert remembers what happened. He leans down to pet me. "I'll do it. I know how overworked you are already downstairs." I bark at him in approval, already looking forward to showing him all the places William takes me. Maybe we can even find new ones together.

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><p>Edith is going to work on the farm today. Robert tells her to take me with her. He says it's good exercise, but I know he wants me to look after her. I run alongside her bike. She slows down so I can catch up.<p>

Edith is there to drive the tractor. I don't want to ride in the tractor - it's too big and noisy for me. Dixie rides in the tractor with Edith instead. Dixie is the farm collie. He's clever and knows it. He thinks he's important because he has a "job" - catching mice and rounding sheep up. Well, Dixie is welcome to his job. He's never been in the house next to a warm fire, he's never tasted Mrs Patmore's cooking and he's certainly never met Robert.

I watch from a safe distance as Edith uses the tractor to pull out the tree stump. _Well done_! I bark.

When I get back, I lounge in the middle of the dressing room, tired and happy. I like this time when it's just the two of us and Robert talks to me and pets me. "Thomas is coming back to work at the hospital. Now, I know what you're thinking..." I wonder if Robert knows that Thomas used to kick and chase me when he thought no one was looking. I was glad when Thomas went off to the war. "...but it makes Cora happy." Ah! Robert does lots of things to make Cora happy.

Cora doesn't like me. She never calls me by my name, only "that dog" or "that dog of yours". I think it started when she discovered me sleeping on her bed. I was only a puppy then, so I didn't know it was wrong. All I knew was that I had found the perfect sleeping spot. I was fast asleep on the soft, warm bedspread, my paws in the air, oblivious to everything...

_"ROBERT!" _I had barely opened my eyes before the bedspread was pulled from under me. I landed on the floor with a bump.

Robert gave me a treat to make me feel better. He told me I wasn't allowed on the bed, but he felt still sorry for me. He used to leave his dressing room door ajar so I could sneak in and sleep next to the bed. It wasn't as comfortable as the big bed but I felt safe next to Robert, and he always made sure I was gone before Cora woke up. She never discovered me but she started saying the room smelt funny. Then O'Brien found dog hairs (_she_ doesn't like me either!) Well, that was it. He tried explaining that I was lonely and didn't want to be on my own at night. Cora said he could keep me company in his dressing room. I thumped my tail in agreement but Robert didn't think it was such a good idea.

"Sorry, Isis. You'll have to stay in here." He made my basket up apologetically with lots of warm blankets and a pair of old socks. I woof to let him know I appreciate it. I know he wants to sleep in the big, comfortable bed and I don't really mind. At least Cora doesn't come in the dressing room. She says it "smells of that dog".

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><p>I have to share Robert with Cora sometimes. So I don't mind when she comes on with us on our afternoon walk. I keep them in sight while I weave through the trees. I like the crunch of the leaves on my paws and the smell of earth and leaves.<p>

It spot a small tree stump. It looks like a bit like the one Edith pulled out yesterday, only smaller. I wonder...I grab the branches with my teeth, and give it a tug. It yields, so I pull some more, and..._got it!_ It's a little too heavy to pick up so I drag it carefully along the ground. I drop it proudly in front of Robert and Cora. He stops and smiles at me. "I think that's a bit too big to throw. Let's see if we can find a better one." He takes me back into the woods to pick out a good stick.

Mary and Carlisle are watching and laughing at us.

"Poor Mama."

"The dog certainly seems very attached to your father."

"It's only because Papa is always feeding her titbits."

_No!_ It's much more than that. We're friends. We look after each other. Mary would never understand.

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><p>I think Lavinia understands. She spends time with me and strokes my fur gently. Robert let her take me for a walk. "Isis will know where to go." <em> I certainly do!<em> I trot off in the lead, but my attention is soon distracted by a very interesting smell. I sniff the bush, trying to decide which animal has been there before me...

... Lavinia is talking, but something's wrong. I turn round. _Carlisle!_ He's grabbed her wrist and is talking to in a quiet, menacing voice. He looks scary. I growl at him, ready to pounce. Fortunately, Robert's sister has seen him and he stops what he was doing. I stay close to Lavinia now, just in case he tries to hurt her again.

"Here, Isis." He takes a piece of ham from his pocket and holds it out to me. I can't help it - I'm drooling. We stare at each other. He knows I want the ham, but I'm afraid he will hurt me if I take it. Eventually, he drops it on the ground in front of him. I race forward and pick it up quickly before he has a chance to reach out.

Robert says dogs are a good judge of character. I may have taken the ham from him, but I don't like Richard Carlisle.


End file.
